Printing cylinder circumferential and lateral register adjustment



March 14, 1967 D STEVENSON 3,308,752

PRINTING CYLINDER GIRCUMFERENTIAL AND LATERAL REGISTER ADJUSTMENT 4Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 15, 1964 INVEMTOQ JMZMWZ/ By 2 I a? ATTORNEYSMarch 14, 1967 D A. STEVENSON 3,308,752

PRINTING CYLINDER CIRCUMFERENTIAL AND LATERAL REGISTER ADJUSTMENT FiledJuly 15, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 .x v Q PLATE 4 ADJUSTMENTYS GRADUATED lNTHOUSANDTHS OF AN INCH SCI INVENTOR une 4. 12200114411,

BY A:

March 14, 1967 D. A. STEVENSON 3,308,752

PRINT N CYLINDER CIRCUMF NT AND TERAL REGISTER AD STM Filed July 15.1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 GRADUATED IN THOUSANDTHS OF AN INCH SZI Fla. 4.

INVENI'OR Junk Z. JZZr/m m/ m &

ATTO RN EYS March 14, 1967 D. A. STEVENSON CYLINDER c1 PRINTING ROUMFERENTIAL AND LATERAL REGISTER ADJUSTMENT Fil ed July 15, 1964 4Sheets-Sheet 4 MM 4. MW

, ATTORNEYS United States Patent Ofifice PRINTlNG CYLINDERCIRCUMFERENTIAL AND LATERAL REGISTER ADJUSTMENT Derek A. Stevenson,Leeds, England, assignor to R. W. Crabtree & Sons Limited Filed July 15,1964, Ser. No. 382,870

Claims priority, application Great Britain, July 15, 1963,

28,025/63 5 Claims. (Cl. 101-243) This invention relates to printingmachines of the rotary type and is particularly concerned with means foradjusting the cylinder which carries the printing plates for the purposeof obtaining register between the printing impressions made by theplates on different cylinders, or for other purposes.

In the present specification the term drive or off-side of the printingmachine will be used to indicate the side of the machine on which thedrive gears are arranged for the cylinders, and the term operating sidewill be used to indicate the opposite transverse side of the machine.

According to the present invention a rotary printing machine includesoperating means for adjusting the plate cylinder circumferentially inrelation to its drive, when the machine is in motion, said means beingoperable from the operating side of the machine.

The invention also includes a rotary printing machine as set forth aboveincluding independently operable means for moving the plate cylinderalong its rotational axis in relation to the frame of the machine whenthe machine is in motion, said means being operable from the operatingside of the machine.

The operating means for adjusting the plate cylinder circumferentiallypreferably includes mechanism for producing a linear movement which issubsequently converted by a further mechanism into relative angular movement between two relatively movable parts about the axis of rotation ofthe cylinder. Thus one of the two parts may be arranged to carry theprinting plate or plates and the other to receive the cylinder drive.

The linear movement may be transmitted from one side of the machine tothe other through means passing through the centre of the platecylinder.

In a preferred arrangement the linear movement is pro duced by rotatinga rotary operating member which is screw threaded to an axially movablenon-rotatable member and which is connected to the mechanism forproducing the relative angular movement. The rotary operating member maycarry gear teeth which are engaged by a gear which can be rotated byoperation of a hand wheel.

Preferably the mechanism for producing the relative angular movementbetween the relatively movable parts of the cylinder comprises anelement which can be moved in a linear direction, and a cranked shaft ismounted for rotation on one of the relatively movable parts and which ispivotally connected to the element and the other movable part so thatrelative angular movement is caused between the parts when the elementis moved to cause the shaft to rotate.

In order to balance the mechanism two crank-shafts are preferablyprovided which are mounted for rotation at diametrically opposite pointson the inner part, the first element being in the form of a yoke whichextends between the adjacent crank arms on the crank-shafts and beingconnected to the mechanism for producing the linear movement.

The outer part preferably carries the cylinder driving gear, the innerpart carrying the printing plate or plates.

In any case means may be included for indicating the amount of angularmovement between the cylinder parts anarsz Patented Mar. 14, 1967 in theform of an indicator arranged adjacent to the operating hand wheel.

It will be seen that the circumferential position of the plate cylinderin relation to its drive can be altered simply by the operation of ahand wheel at the operating end of the machine.

According to another aspect of the invention all the operating mechanismcan be arranged at the drive or off side of the machine in which case itis unnecessary to transmit the linear movement through the cylinder.

The arrangement set forth above can be used with drive gear of any typeand may thus be used with straight spur gears or helical gears.

As set forth above means may also be included for independently movingthe plate cylinder along its rotation axis and with this constructionthe arrangement is preferably such that the plate cylinder bearing andhousing move transversely through the machine frames together with thecylinder when it is adjusted.

The operating means for this movement preferably in cludes a screwthreaded component, the position of which is fixed in relation to theframe of the machine, and a cooperating screw threaded operating memberwhich is connected to the cylinder in such a manner that rotation of theoperating member causes axial movement of the cylinder.

The connection between the operating member and the cylinder mayconveniently be through a rotary thrust bearing and in a preferredarrangement the operating member is connected to the cylinder through atransmission shaft one end of which is carried by the rotary thrustbearing and the other end of which is connected to the cylinder totransmit axial movement thereto.

In this arrangement the cylinder is preferably'carried in a cylindersupport bearing arranged in a bearing housing assembly which is movablysupported in the machine frame, the end of the transmission shaft whichis connected to the cylinder also being supported in the cylindersupport bearing.

The screw threaded operating member may be arranged to carry gear teethwhich can be driven by a gear wheel which can be rotated to causerotation of the operating member.

Preferably the operating member can be caused to rotate by manualoperation of a hand wheel on the operating side of the machine, and thishand wheel may be mounted on a spindle which carries the gear wheel.

Indicating means may also be included which act to display the amount ofaxial movement of the cylinder, and these indicating means may includean indicator device which is actuated in response to the rotation of thegear wheel. 1

Thus, the opperating hand wheels for both adjustments may be arrangedclose to each other on a cover surrounding at least part of bothadjustment means.

Preferably the means for moving the plate cylinder along itslongitudinal axis and at least part of the means for adjusting the platecylinder circumferentially are arranged substantially co-axially,adjacent the operating side of the cylinder, so that the apparatus formoving the cylinder in both directions is arranged in a compact manner.

Again it will be seen that the means for moving the" ll'ldcircumferential directions to be achieved independ- :n-tly.

The invention may be performed in various ways but me specificembodiment will now be described by way at example and with reference tothe accompanying drawvngs in which FIGURE 1 is a cross-sectional sideelevation of part at the control mechanism at the operating side of amachine embodying the invention,

FIGURE 2 is a sectional end elevation on the line [III of FIGURE 1,

FIGURE 3 is a sectional end elevation on the line [IL-III of FIGURE 1,

FIGURE 4 is a view of one of the indicating means in the direction ofthe arrow IV on FIGURE 3,

FIGURE 5 is a view of the other indicating means in the direction of thearrow V on FIGURE 3,

FIGURE 6 is a side elevation of the mechanism for causingcircumferential movement of the cylinder in relation to its drive, and

FIGURE 7 is an end elevation of the arrangement shown in FIGURE 6.

In the machine to be described the plate cylinder P is connected to ablanket cylinder (not shown) through straight spur gears which can slideaxially in relation to each other.

The end of the cylinder adjacent the operating side of the machine asshown in FIGURE 1, is carried in a cylinder support bearing 1 which isarranged in an annular bearing housing assembly 2 which is mounted foraxial movement in the machine frame 3. The bearing housing assembly 2comprises a main cylindrical member 4 having an inturned flange 5 at itsend adjacent the plate cylinder and at its other end being partly closedby an annular ring 6. The cylinder support bearing 1 is housed withinthe main cylindrical member 4 and abuts the inturned flange 5 adjacentits end. To maintain the bearing 1 in position a spacer '7 is arrangedbetween the ring 6 and the bearing 1 so that it is located against axialmovement and the ring 6 is rigidly secured to the cylindrical member byscrews 8. The plate cylinder P is provided with a spigot 9 whichprojects into the cylinder support bearing 1, and the ring 6 projectsoutwardly beyond the cylindrical member'to provide a flange 10. Thisflange is arranged on the side of the machine frame 3 remote from theplate cylinder, and the housing 2 is arranged to slide in the frameitself, the flange 1t formed by the ring limiting the extent of movementof the housing in a direction towards the plate cylinder. In order toprevent the housing rotating a key 11 is provided which is rigidlyconnected to the machine frame 3 and which extends into a slot 12 in theflange on the ring.

A screw threaded component in the form of a plate 13 is rigidly securedto the machine frame 3 but displaced from the bearing housing assembly.Arranged in the plate is a bore within which is housed a flanged supportmember 14, the flange 15 thereof having holes (not shown) through whichscrews are passed to secure the support member in position on the plate.The support member 14 is provided with a bore which is screw threaded toreceive a screw threaded operating member in the form of an annulus 16,the outer circumference of which carries a. co-operating screw threadand which is provided with a portion 17 of larger diameter, the outercircumference of this portion carrying gear teeth 18. The bore of thisannulus is counter-bored -to receive a rotary thrust bearing 19 whichcan abut against the end of the counter bored portion and which islocated in position by means of a circular retainer 20 which is boltedto the end of the annulus.

A transmission shaft 21 extends between the rotary thrust bearing 19 andthe cylinder support bearing 1. One end of this transmission shaft 21 isformed with a spigot 22 which extends into the rotary thrust bearing upto an abutment flange 23. An end cap 24 is rigidly secured to the end ofthe spigot 22 so that the rotary thrust bearing 19 is clamped on to thespigot, and the shaft 21 is rigidly held against axial movement relativethereto. The other end of the transmission shaft is also provided with aspigot 25 but of larger diameter which rests Within the cylinder supportbearing 1. This end of the transmission shaft is rigidly bolted to thespigot 9 on the plate cylinder P which is also housed to the cylindersupport hearing by means of axially extending screws 26. Thus it will beseen that rotation of the screw threaded operating member 16 in the formof the annulus will cause it to move axially due to the action of thescrew thread between itself and the screw threaded component 13, andthis movement will be transmitted via the rotary thrust bearing 19 andthe transmission shaft 21 to the plate cylinder P and the cylinderhousing assembly 2 which will all move axially in the machine frame.

Rotation of the screw threaded operating member is achieved by means ofa gear wheel 27 which is mounted upon one end of a spindle 28, thisspindle being supported in needle roller bearings 29 in the plate 13 ofthe screw threaded component and extending beyond a cover plate 30 whichis carried by the machine frame 3 to an operating hand wheel 31. Thus,operation of the hand wheel 31 will cause the gear wheel 27 to rotate,which will in turn rotate the screw threaded operating member 16, andthe gear ratio between the two is arranged, so that manual operation ofthe gear wheel 27, is easily achieved.

Indicating means are shown in FIGURES 3 and 4 which act to display theamount of axial movement of the cylinder P are provided in the form ofan indicator dial 32 which is mounted at one end of the outer casing 30at right angles to the operating wheel 31. This dial 3?. is actuated bymeans of a shaft 33 one end of which is connected to the dial, and theend of which carries a worm gear 34 which co-operates with a second gearwheel 35 mounted on the hand wheel spindle 23. When the gear wheel 27 isoperated by means of the hand wheel 31 therefor the second gear wheel 35will cause the indicator spindle 33 to rotate to give a reading on theindicator of the amount of axial movement imparted to the cylinder.

If the above arrangement is to be used with a machine having a geardrive which is not in the form of straight spur gears then means mustbeprovided to allow the plate cylinder to move axially independently ofits gear. drive, such a means comprising for example suitable splines.

The apparatus for adjusting the plate cylinder circumferentially in'relation to its drive comprises mechanism for producing a linearmovement which is subsequently converted by further mechanism intorelative angular movement between two relatively movable parts about theaxis of rotation of the cylinder.

The mechanism for producing the linear movement is arranged co-axiallywith the apparatus described above for moving the plate cylinder axiallyand comprises a rotary operating member 4% having a bore in which ishoused a plug member 41 having a screw threaded bore. The plug member isfirmly secured to the rotary oper-- ating member by means of screws 4-2,and the rotary operating member is formed with a spigot 43 on its sideadjacent the plate cylinder which is located'within a bearing ring 44.This bearing ring 44 is itself housed in a circular depression in aplate member 45 which is held against rotational movement but which canmove with the plate cylinder P when that member is moved axially by theadjustment means set forth above. A housing member 46 is arranged toproject into a bore in the plate member, the bore being in line with theaxis of the screw threaded bore in the plug member 41 and the rotaryoperated member 40 is held in close contact against the ring 44 by meansof segmental members 48 which are arranged at diametrically oppositepoints on the plate member 45 and which have flanges 49 which over-lapthe outer circumference of the rotary operating member 40. Thus therotary operating member 40 is free to rotate in the bearing provided bythe ring 44 but cannot be withdrawn therefrom because of the segmentalmembers 48.

Arranged within the screw threaded bore of the plug member 41 is aspigot piece 50 which is also screw threaded to co-operate with thescrew thread in the plug member 41 and which carries a key 51 which canslide in an axially extending slot 52 in the housing member 46. Thus thespigot piece 50 provides an axially movable non-rotatable member which,when the rotary operating member 40 is rotated, moves axially due to thecooperating screw thread but not in a rotary fashion because of the key51 which slides in the key way in the housing member 46.

The spigot piece 56 is bored and houses one end of an operating rod 53which is held in position by means of a suitable tapered dowel pin 54.The length of the housing member 46 is such that it passes within thebore of the retaining member inthe annulus 16 which provides the screwthreaded operating member on the adjustment mechanism for axial movementof the plate cylinder, and the end of the bore of the housing member 46is counter-bored to pass over the end cap 24 which secures the spigot 22on the transmission shaft 21 in position. This end cap 24 is also boredas is the transmission shaft 21 itself and the plate cylinder P, so thatthe operating rod 53 can pass from the spigot piece 50 through the platecylinder to the other end thereof.

In order to provide rotation of the rotary operating member 40 a gearwheel 55 is mounted upon a spindle 56, this spindle being supported inneedle roller bearings 57 in the plate of the screw threaded component13 and also in the plate member 45 and the spindle extends beyond thecover plate which is secured to the machine frame to an operating handwheel 58. An adjustable idler 59 is arranged between the gear wheel 55and the gear teeth on the rotary operating member so that operation ofthe hand wheel 58 will cause the gear wheel and idler to rotate, whichwill in turn rotate the rotary operating member, the gear ratio betweenthe idler, the gear wheel and the rotary operating member being arrangedso that manual operation of the gear wheel is easily achieved. Thus itwill be seen that rotary movement of the hand wheel 58 will cause therotary operating member to rotate and the screw thread on the spigotpiece to move through the screw thread on the plug member to cause theoperating rod 53- to move in a linear direction across the machine.

The operating hand wheel 58 is arranged on its spindle at a pointsubstantially in line with the operating hand wheel 31 for the adjustingmechanism for the axial position for the plate cylinder so that bothhand wheels are easily reached, and the spindles are arranged so thatthey pass through the non-rotatable member in needle roller bearings 60above and below the rotary operating memher.

The plug member 41 is split along one of its sides and a screw 61 ispassed between the two sides thus formed so that the screw thread can betightened as required.

Indicating means are also provided to act to display the amount ofperipheral movement of the cylinder, in the form of an indicating dial62 which is mounted on one end of the outer casing adjacent theindicator dial for the other adjustment. This dial is actuated by meansof a shaft 63, one end of which is connected to a point on the dial, andthe other end of which carries a worm gear 64 which co-operates with asecond gear wheel 65 mounted on the hand wheel spindle 56 in a similarman ner to the arrangement for the indicator which shows axial movement.Thus when the gear wheel is operated by means of the hand wheel thesecond gear wheel 65 will cause the indicator spindle 63 to rotate togive a reading on the indicator of the amount of movement imparted tothe cylinder. The two spindles for the two indicator dials extend atright angles to the hand wheel spindles and the indicators are providedon the side end of the cover one above the other. Thus the operator caninspect the dials whilst viewing the plate roller with the operatinghand wheels readily available on the front of the cover.

The mechanism for converting the linear movement supplied to theoperating rod 53 shown in FIGURES 6 and 7 comprises a yoke member 65through which the end of rod member 53 remote from the plug 50 passesand is secured. This yoke member 65 extends in a direction substantiallyparallel with the end face of the plate cylinder P and is guided foraxial movement in directions in line with the axis of the plate cylinderby means of guide rods 66 which pass through suitable bearings at eachend of the yoke. Stops 67 are provided on the end of the guide rods 66to prevent the yoke 65 being moved out of contact with them. The drivinggear for the plate cylinder is carried on a hub 68 which is fastened tothe shaft 69 of the plate cylinder, which shaft extends beyond theoff-side main frame. This hub 68 of the plate cylinder is of suitablyreduced diameter so that appropriate strength can be provided for thegear rim 7t) and the gear rim is maintained in position by means ofplates 71 which embrace the hub, so permitting angular movement, but noaxial movement, between hub and gear rim. The plates are secured to therim by means of three screws 72, and the outer plate has elongated slotswhich permit initial setting. The hub 68 of the cylinder within the gearrim '70 carries a pair of bearing blocks 73 which are arrangeddiametrically opposite each other with the axis of their bearingspassing through the axis of the cylinder at right angles thereto. Eachblock carries a cranked shaft 74, each shaft having a long crank arm 75adjacent the inner end of the shaft, and a short crank arm 76 which isat right angles to the long one 75 at its outer end. The length of thecentral part 77 of each crank shaft is arranged so that the shorter arm76 can project in a direction substantially in line with the axis of theplate cylinder to a point adjacent the outer plate 71 on the gear rim7%) where a bearing spigot 78 provided on each of the shorter arms canbe housed within a spherical bearing 83 pivotally mounted in aconventional bearing member 79, rigidly secured to the plate 71 on thegear rim. Thus the two shorter arms are connected to the gear rim '70 atdiametrically opposite points and through pivotable joints. A projectingboss 86 is arranged at each end of the yoke 65 which projects at rightangles to the axis of the plate cylinder and substantially in line withthe plane of the end face of the cylinder. A pivot pin 81 projects fromeach of these bosses and passes through a suitable bore in the outer endof each of the longer crank arms '75 to provide a pivotal connectionbetween each end of the yoke 65 and the crank arms 75. In order tosupport the operating rod 53 suitable bearin s are provided within thebore inside the plate cylinder and the guide rods ti are carried bysupport members 82 which are firmly secured to the plate cylinder hub bymeans of screws.

In operation linear movement of the operating rod 53 will cause the yoke65 to move towards or away from the end of the plate cylinder which willthus cause the longer crank arms 75 to move inwardly or outwardly thuscausing the crank shaft 74 to rotate. This rotational movement istransmitted to the shorter crank arms 76 which move in the manner of abell crank lever in comparison with the longer crank arms so that thegear rim 70 which carries the bearing member 79 will be caused to moveangularly with relation to the hub 63 of the plate cylinder and thespigots 78 will pivot the bearings 83 in the members 79. It will beappreciated that l he relative angular movement will cause the positionof he plate cylinder with relation to its drive to be altered that itcan be adjusted as required Whilst the machine in motion.

When the plate cylinder is moved axially in relation to he frame of themachine by means of the adjustment neans set forth above the operatingmechanism at both nds of the plate cylinder will move with it, but thepindles which carry the gear wheels and the operating land Wheels 31, 58are fixed by being mounted Within he plate 13 of the axial adjustinggear so that the idler gear wiil slide axially on the gear wheel for theangular idjustment means.

What we claim is:

1. A rotary printing machine comprising a frame, a slate cylinder, meansmounting said cylinder in said frame for rotation about a predeterminedaxis, drive means op- :ratively connected to said cylinder, said drivemeans including gear means connected to said cylinder and a hubconnected to said gear means, first adjusting means for:ircurnferentially adjusting said cylinder relative to said drive means,first control means for controlling said first adjusting means, saidfirst adjusting means including a spur gear operatively connected tosaid first control means, a member connected to said first control meansand displaceable longitudinally relative to said cylinder in response tooperation of said first control means, a crankshaft rotatably mounted onsaid hub and connected between said member and said gear means forcausing the circumferential adjustment of said cylinder, secondadjusting means operable independently of said first adjusting means formoving said cylinder along a path generally parallel to saidpredetermined axis, second control means adjacent said first controlmeans for controlling said second adjusting means, and said first andsecond control means being disposed at a location remote from said drivemeans.

e 2. The rotary printing machine as defined in claim 1 wherein saidsecond adjusting means comprises a mem- 0 her fixed relative to saidframe, an operating member rotatably mounted in said fixed member andoperatively connected to said second control means, and a bearingassembly connected between said cylinder and saidopcrating member formoving said cylinder along said axis in response to the operation ofsaid second control means.

3. The rotary printing machine as defined in claim 1 wherein said firstadjusting means further includes a yoke connected to said displaceablemember, and a crank arm interconnecting said yoke and said shaft.

4. The rotary printing machine as defined in claim '1 wherein said firstadjusting means further comprises a yoke connected to said disp-laceablemember and mounted on said hub, a first crank arm interconnecting saidshaft and said yoke, and a relatively shorter crank arm interconnectingsaid shaft and said gear means.

5. A rotary printing machine as defined in claim 1 wherein said firstadjusting means further comprises a yoke connected to said displaceablemember and mounted on said hub, a first crank arm interconnecting saidcrank shaft and said yoke, a second relatively shorter crank arminterconnecting said shaft and said gear means, a spigot mounted on anend of said shorter arm, and a bearing mounted on said gear means andreceiving said spigot.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS ROBERT E.PULFREY, Primary Examiner.

H. P. EWELL, Assistant Examiner.

1. A ROTARY PRINTING MACHINE COMPRISING A FRAME, A PLATE CYLINDER, MEANSMOUNTING SAID CYLINDER IN SAID FRAME FOR ROTATION ABOUT A PREDETERMINEDAXIS, DRIVE MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID CYLINDER, SAID DRIVEMEANS INCLUDING GEAR MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID CYLINDER AND A HUBCONNECTED TO SAID GEAR MEANS, FIRST ADJUSTING MEANS FORCIRCUMFERENTIALLY ADJUSTING SAID CYLINDER RELATIVE TO SAID DRIVE MEANS,FIRST CONTROL MEANS FOR CONTROLLING SAID FIRST ADJUSTING MEANS, SAIDFIRST ADJUSTING MEANS INCLUDING A SPUR GEAR OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TOSAID FIRST CONTROL MEANS, A MEMBER CONNECTED TO SAID FIRST CONTROL MEANSAND DISPLACEABLE LONGITUDINALLY RELATIVE TO SAID CYLINDER IN RESPONSE TOOPERATION OF SAID FIRST CONTROL MEANS, A CRANKSHAFT ROTATABLY MOUNTED ONSAID HUB AND CONNECTED